Let’s begin at the beginning

Preparation for the season of Easter/Resurrection Day must include the history of Moses, his call from God, and the instructions for Passover the night before Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. We need to know the full story in order to fully understand and appreciate the drama of the cross.

Today my friend Robin Howe is guest posting here at Strengthened by Grace. She has a story to tell.

Once upon a time . . .

Every good story has a very intentional opening line. The writer knows the importance of grasping the reader’s attention immediately, or he risks losing the reader altogether.

Madeline, my youngest daughter, seems to get this concept, in sorts, though she leans more to the over-dramatic use of her hands to get my attention. Last night she wanted desperately to tell me the story of either Ruth, Esther, Jacob or Joseph. She settled on Ruth. While lying in her bed, she began using her hands to tell me that “Once, there was a woman named Naomi who was married to a guy . . .”

While this may not be the opening line to a New York Best Seller, it had this mommy listening with every fiber of her being.

These words, written in scarlet, are the opening lines to greatest story ever told. From the first words we see Christ woven through every story in scripture, tying it all together.

Fast forward to Moses. God led the Israelites to Egypt through Joseph, saving them all from starvation. The people grew in number.

With a heart of stone molded by fear, Pharaoh demanded all male Hebrew children two years and under be killed. But Moses had a strong, brave and incredibly faithful mother who fought for the life of her child. He was an ordinary baby by the world’s terms, but to his momma and the God who created him, Moses was so much more.

Many of us cannot see past the ordinary to the extraordinary in our own lives.

Years later Moses had an unbelievable encounter with the I Am. He witnessed a bush that was not consumed by the fire that engulfed it, he heard the voice of God call him by name, and he was given a very specific task to accomplish for the Lord.

However, God did not call Moses to go it alone. He promised Moses that He would be with him every step of the way.

Yet, as most of us do, he balked. He was scared. But rather than admit it, he made excuses.

“I don’t really know You all that well, I mean, I don’t even know your name!”

“You really expect people to believe that You appeared to me, a nobody?”

“I would love to, but I’m not so good at talking and such. And that Pharaoh guy isn’t gonna listen to me.”

Many of my excuses sound similar.

“I don’t know scripture as well as other people.”

“Who am I to tell others about You?”

“I know for a fact there are other people way more qualified than me!”

God answers with a loving voice that it’s not about me. It was never about Moses either. God, the I Am, has chosen the ordinary to do extraordinary things. People may balk, make fun, question your “authority,” or even flat out tell you that you are crazy.

But when God speaks to you, puts a burden on your heart, calls you out to DO something, don’t make excuses. Don’t sit back in fear and trembling. Let me borrow an overused advertising line from Nike and say . . . JUST DO IT!

What if Moses had refused to go? How much longer would the Israelites have suffered in slavery while God found a replacement for Moses if he had decided to stay home with his family?

How many people need you to say ‘yes’ to God and run your race at full strength until your last breath on this earth?

You will never go it alone. The great I Am is with you. And He will send brothers and sisters to run alongside you, cheering you on, offering encouragement, even calling you out when you begin to slip back into the grip of fear or need your ego deflated.

Each person’s story began the day God spoke your name and began knitting you into being. He continues to write your story even now.